The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-07-13
A rIRE-swEpT TOWN.
Three Hundred Buildings Burned in
Fourth of July Blaze.

the business part Of the oil town of Clarendon.
the story was not but iIalf told. The fire
burned itself out this morning, spreading far
out into Tie outside limits The fire broke
out simultaneously IN the Weaver Hotel and
III Brown Bros. planning mill. The meagrc
water supply gave out and the people be-
came horrified as they realized their helpless
ness. Appeals for help were Immediately
sent out TO Warren and surrounding conn
try When the Warren Fire Department
responded it was discovered that the hose
was not brought along. When valuable
time was lost and the department was in
working order the flames had eneroached
upon the pumping station and the water
works were burned A stream which ran
near the depot was sought, but ii gave but a
meager supply
The atmosphere became so charged with
heat that number of oil tanks in the upper
part Of the town exploded and rivulets offire
ran through the streets and wound their
serpentine course under the buildings in all
directions. Men whose cheeks were blanch-
ed with terror ran hither and thitber for
their families and children. High above the
roaring of the flames were heard the cries of
those looking for loved ONES. Fortunately
all had instinctively sought the hillside and
but one person burned. He was man EN-
ployed at Mann & Co.'S feed store and was
burned to death in the barn.
The telegraph and telephone offices were
burned in the early stages of the confiagra-
ton. This left the people without means of
communicating with the outside world.
Several trains coming east which were
made up ofoil-cars were stopped beyond
the town.
Twelve hundred people on the .hillsides
and in vacant lots were in a most pitiable
condition this morning. They had neither
money nor food. and many of them but lit
tie clothing. The good Samaritans of War
ren loaded a train ON the Pennsylvania and
Erie with provisions and sent il TO Clarendon
at an ealy hour All day the out going
trains from Clarendon were densey crowded
with the sufferers vino were going out to the
place OF refuge or to seek the. hospitality of
relatives and friends, many of them having
lost all they had in the world.
The buildings destroyed were about 800 in
number. There was not great deal of in
surance in the town. The rates were all the
way from 10 10 per cent and would not
amount to over SO, 900 The loss is estima-
ted in all at from S3j00o0 to 100000 This
includes household goods, store goods and
buildings There were in all over 800 build
ings, including residences. There is Il gen.
erai belief that the fire was the work of in
cendiaries for the purpose of robbery.
HOTEL PRorRIEroR ACCUSED.
Ii is now well established that the fire was
OF incendiary origin. Public rumor at Clar-
ciidon SAYS that two weeks ago, when liquor
licenses were refused 10 all applicants in
Warren County, Mahoney, proprietor of the
Weaver House, threatened to fire the town
if the decision Of the court was not reversed
in two weeks. This morning after the fire
burned out. the citizens looked about for
Mahoney-for one of the fires started in his
room in the hotel-but be was not TO be
found A warrant charging him with arson
was sworn out and searching parties secured
the surrounding country to apprehend him.
lie was found hiding in the woods, six miles
from Clarendon, and because lynching was
feared he was taken 10 Warren Jail
charred skeleton was found in one ofthe
rooms of the holel, and it is supposed to be
that of hack-driver named Sullivan. whois
missing. He was seen about the hotel early
in the evening
HARRTsBUre, July 6.--Goyernor Beaver to-
day received telegram from James A.
Parmlee, of Warren, stating that 300 families
are homeless from the fire at Clarendon and
are without shelter and asking that I0otents
be loaned them. The Governor promptly
ordered the tents 10 be sent
ERIE July The remaining portion of
the town of Clarendon, in Warren. county,
which was visited by coniiagration on Tues
day morning which almost entirely swept IT
Out of existence was again the scence of
destructive flames to-day. After the relief
firemen from the surrounding town had re-
turned, supposing their work TO be done, fire
was discovered iii the woods to the south of
the town. No apprehension was felt. as il
was thought the direction of the wind would
naturally keep il away. This afternoon,
however, it changed, and blew strongly di-
rectly from the fire to the town. In a short
time the oil well, derricks, tanks and houses
of Patrick Connor were ON fire. The gas
and oil from it spouting high into the air
presented magnificent picture. The resi-
dents left their rough board shelters and
bent every effort toward fighting the flames.
Having no adequate fire apparatus their
efforts were of little avail, and the wells,
tanks and buildings owned by Beatty Bros
Of Warren. We're soon in flames, and the fire
had even taken hold upon some of the
rough shelter sheds Appeals for aid were
fore. and at 4 o'clock a fire company was
sent to the scene Before they arrived live
wells, tanks and over thirteen houses belong
ing to the Anchor oil Company had been
fired and the oil was literally flowing burn
ing river down the hillside and past the edge
OF the burned town, consuming some of the
tents and sheds The firemen by superhu-
man efforts turned the course of the streams
OF liqnid fire, conquered the flames and
finally left for their homes at 8 o'clock to-
night The fire is still burning in the woods
but large force of watchers is present to
fight it at every point,
A correct statement of the houses burned
based upon actual count received tonight.
places the number at Isl. The loss Is s3G3,-
COO and the insurance falls short of $780,
900. There are now bur seven houses left in
the town. Not one place of business is left
All Is a black. smouldering ruin. James
Mahoney. the incendiary, was taken from
the Jail this morning and given & hearing
He was bound over to appear at court 10
answer 10 the charge of arson, but was after
wards release under heavy bail and is now
at large, The tents sent by Governor Bea-
yer 10 the sufferers have arrived and pro-
visions and clothing are being collected in the
surrounding towns in large quantities.
W. c. Mctiutcheon, who was badly burn
ed in trying to save neighbor's goods, died
to-day at noon after great suffering The
people of Warren have raised s3,70 aud
sent two carloads of provisions. Lumber
and nails have been bought To build the
houses.
A Riotous Mormon Elder.
CHARLESTON, s c., July Mormon mis-
sionaries have been at work in 0conee eoun-